ANN ARBOR—New research on how birth control pills affect the level of hormones in women's blood serum has found much higher levels of hormones in women who take birth control pills compared to women who don't. The University of Michigan study was motivated by evidence that breast cancer risk increases with hormonal exposure. The authors examined seven commonly prescribed birth control pills and found that four formulations more than quadruple levels of progestin, a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone, and another formulation resulted in a 40 percent higher exposure to ethinyl estradiol, a synthetic version of estrogen.

Sometimes we all need a little encouragement to cultivate good habits. "Daddy! Guess what? The Rosary Lady at school knows who you are.” Ummm, ok. What “Rosary Lady”? “There’s a lady at school who comes in every Wednesday to help us pray.”

Paisley Faith Forum Spring Season for Young Adults. How do I Understand the Mass and Big Words like Transubstantiation? Fr John Morrison, 16 February, 7.00pm. UWS Catholic Chaplaincy, Paisley High Street (above Hamish Hoose). The Spring Season is on the theme: Tough Questions Catholics Get Asked, and is part of Pope Francis’ World Youth Day Challenge to Young People.